Budget crisis, Classes at risk
Laura Babbitt
Issue date: 10/26/09 Section: News
A proposal for curriculum cuts to balance CSM's 2010-11 budget brought more than 80 faculty members to an Oct. 16 meeting.
Two speakers told how faculty within their division were discussing tradeoffs to fine tune the proposed cuts, while more than 20 others spoke against cutting classes and programs for the 2010-11 school year.
"The core mission (of CSM) is to provide college courses to the local community," said Ernie Rodriguez, professor of psychology. "I'm a little pissed that the first document we see is about cutting, not about how the administration is going to protect the core mission. I have heard no dialog on how to consolidate (with our sister colleges) to save programs."
"This is a 'Sophie's Choice' kind of discussion," Rodriguez said. "Which child do you want to lose?"
CSM has the only meteorology program in the district, said David Robinson, professor of mathematics and meteorology. "In this day and age to not have a place in the college to talk about climate and climate change would be a shame," Robinson said.
The state budget crisis has forced the college to cut costs by $6 million--almost 22%--over two years, said Virgil Stanford, dean of administrative services.
In an e-mail to all employees on Oct. 12, President Michael Claire shared the list of proposed reductions to courses and programs. If adopted, the cuts would trim a maximum of about $1.1 million from the 2010-11 budget.
"Even with the proposed curriculum cuts (and recently announced administrative cuts), we are $1.8 million away from meeting the 2010-11 budget," Stanford said.
"These cuts are unprecedented," Claire told The San Matean. "It's not just us. City College, the second largest community college in the state, is canceling summer school. Los Angeles Community College District--every community college in LA--cancelled summer school last year, and probably will this year."
"Unfortunately we will need to make major adjustments in order to close the projected budget gap for the 2010-11 year," Claire wrote in his Oct. 12 e-mail. "We have a difficult road ahead."
Two speakers told how faculty within their division were discussing tradeoffs to fine tune the proposed cuts, while more than 20 others spoke against cutting classes and programs for the 2010-11 school year.
"The core mission (of CSM) is to provide college courses to the local community," said Ernie Rodriguez, professor of psychology. "I'm a little pissed that the first document we see is about cutting, not about how the administration is going to protect the core mission. I have heard no dialog on how to consolidate (with our sister colleges) to save programs."
"This is a 'Sophie's Choice' kind of discussion," Rodriguez said. "Which child do you want to lose?"
CSM has the only meteorology program in the district, said David Robinson, professor of mathematics and meteorology. "In this day and age to not have a place in the college to talk about climate and climate change would be a shame," Robinson said.
The state budget crisis has forced the college to cut costs by $6 million--almost 22%--over two years, said Virgil Stanford, dean of administrative services.
In an e-mail to all employees on Oct. 12, President Michael Claire shared the list of proposed reductions to courses and programs. If adopted, the cuts would trim a maximum of about $1.1 million from the 2010-11 budget.
"Even with the proposed curriculum cuts (and recently announced administrative cuts), we are $1.8 million away from meeting the 2010-11 budget," Stanford said.
"These cuts are unprecedented," Claire told The San Matean. "It's not just us. City College, the second largest community college in the state, is canceling summer school. Los Angeles Community College District--every community college in LA--cancelled summer school last year, and probably will this year."
"Unfortunately we will need to make major adjustments in order to close the projected budget gap for the 2010-11 year," Claire wrote in his Oct. 12 e-mail. "We have a difficult road ahead."
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susan petit
posted 11/18/09 @ 9:54 AM PST
If you care about CSM's classes being drastically cut for spring and even more in the 2010-12 academic years, attend the candlelight vigil from 5:00 to 6:30 on Monday, November 23, in front of the CSM theater (between Buildings 2, 3, and 4). (Continued…)
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